The International Strategy Forum (ISF) is a year-long, non-residential fellowship program that builds the next generation of global leaders focused on the future of geopolitics, technology, and democracy.
Founded in 2021 by Eric and Wendy Schmidt, with program chairs Fareed Zakaria and Jared Cohen, ISF brings together rising leaders from around the world — ages 25 to 35, drawn from government, academia, deep tech, the military, journalism, research and the arts — to consider the future of geopolitics, the future of technology, and the future of democracy. In 2024, ISF was integrated into the Special Competitive Studies Project.
This era of accelerating innovation presents hybrid global challenges that cut across disciplines — technology governance, economic competition, rising nationalism, energy security. Yet the fields of geopolitics and technology remain siloed; training and mentorship have become more specialized, failing to build the broad-reaching networks that create cross-disciplinary solutions. That is where ISF comes in.
ISF is organized around a series of in-person convenings alongside virtual programming, so Fellows engage with each other, the ISF alumni network, and the broader SCSP community of leaders working at the intersection of national security and technology.
Unlike regionalized networks, ISF is a worldwide community focused on tackling shared global challenges.
While many foreign policy programs overlook the outsized impact of technology, ISF brings international strategists together with experts in the hard sciences and innovation.
The 2027 application is open and closes July 31. Questions go to isfteam@scsp.ai.
Start applicationAdministrative support for ISF is provided by the Special Competitive Studies Project.
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Each year, ISF identifies and brings together a new cohort of fellows from around the world.
ISF seeks candidates ages 25–35 with exceptional leadership potential and achievement, as well as demonstrated interest in the fields of geopolitics, technology, or democracy.
ISF was founded by Eric and Wendy Schmidt, with program chairs Fareed Zakaria and Jared Cohen.
ISF was inspired by philanthropic initiatives to elevate new voices in U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War. ISF co-chair Dr. Fareed Zakaria participated in one of these programs in the 1980s and benefited from the lifelong friendships he cultivated with future leaders in business, journalism, government and more.
In 2024, ISF was integrated into the Special Competitive Studies Project, where it continues this legacy for the 21st century by creating new networks of activists, strategists, and technologists who can work together to solve the critical challenges facing democratic societies in a new era of geopolitical and technological disruption.